Retribution
by PresleyRox
Summary: Someone is out for revenge. He gets it by faking Helga's death and framing Arnold for her murder. Arnold is convinced that Helga is still alive and needs help, but what can he do from behind bars? Story warnings inside.


**Retribution**

Story warning: Rated M for sex, language, and various forms of abuse.

Chapter warning: Awkward teenagers having awkward sex for the first time.

**Retribution Part One**

Arnold Shortman was supposed to be studying, but instead he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She was sitting on his bed, legs pushed up against her chest. Her copy of _Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems_ balancing on her knees. It was oddly charming the way she mouthed the words as she read. Her blonde locks were scooped up into a casual ponytail and she wore a over sized light pink sweater with a pair of black yoga pants. Her purple pair of flats had been kicked off near his bedroom door.

They had grown close after everything that happened during the summer between fourth and fifth grade. Now, at seventeen, she had become one of his best friends. After Gerald started to date Phoebe he probably hung out with her more than anyone else. Despite the rumors, they weren't together-together, just really good friends. Really, it didn't actually strike him just how attractive she was until recently and that was completely a fluke.

They ran into each other (literally) in the hallway at school at he (_TOTALLY BY ACCIDENT_) grabbed her boob. On accident. (It really was an accident) Despite being mortified and completely apologetic he was very well aware it was a nice boob. Easily the best boob he ever felt. Technically the _only_ boob he'd ever touched, but he had come close a couple of times. Even if he had fondled other breasts he'd be sure she'd still be in the top three.

The whole virginity thing had been on his mind more and more lately. It seemed like everyone was doing it lately. Gerald and Phoebe did the deed just last month. Sometimes it felt like it he was the only virgin left in their class.

_Well other than... _

"If you want to say something to me, just say it." Helga Pataki tossed a stray pencil at her blonde friend, hitting him right in the middle forehead. She snorted out a laugh before clasping a hand over her mouth, embarrassed, but still stifling laughter. She cleared her throat. "You asked me over to study. We both know I don't need help with Poe. I've had most of his work memorized since we were ten. I figured _you_ needed help. Which seems to be true because I'm pretty sure you read the same stanza about fifteen times." She dangled her feet off the bed. "What's up? Why are you leering?"

"I'm not leering." Arnold quickly defended himself. "I was just thinking…"

Helga lifted a thick eyebrow, "About…?"

"Stuff." Arnold shrugged. "Just things in general."

Helga rolled her eyes, "You're a terrible liar." She started to collect her things and shove them into her backpack, "If you're going to continue being weird instead of studying I'm outta here Football Head."

"Do you ever think about sex?" Arnold blurted out just as Helga reached his bedroom door.

Helga's jaw dropped, that was pretty much the last thing she ever expected to hear come out of Arnold's mouth. "Um...yeah, I guess. Why...umm...Why do you ask?"

"I don't know…" Arnold scratched the back of his neck. "Does it ever bother you that we're like the last two virgins in our class?"

"What?" Helga laughed. "That is not is _so_ not true."

"Maybe, but we are the only virgins left in our friend group."

"This is all about that stupid game we played Rhonda's, isn't it?" Helga sighed heavily as she threw down her backpack and joined Arnold on his couch. A few weeks earlier Rhonda had a party and between drinks they decided to lat never have I ever and somehow it came out that they were the only two in their group who hadn't had sex yet. "Is there a reason why this bothers you?"

"It doesn't." Arnold nearly face palmed. "Really it doesn't. It just feels a little, I don't know, awkward?"

Helga shook her head, laughing. "More awkward than this conversation?"

"...No…" Arnold felt his face start to heat up in embarrassment. He could only imagine how red his cheeks were. "I'm sorry. I never should have brought it up."

"It's fine, though I have to ask…" She paused, looking away from him. "Is that why you asked me over here today?" She knew he knew what she was implying.

"No!" Arnold quickly denied. "I swear it's not. I mean, it's not that I never thought about it. Wait! No! I didn't mean it like that." After seeing the flabbergasted expression on Helga's face he felt himself fall deeper into panic mode. "I'm sorry. I'm just going to shut up now." His hands his his face from those ocean blue eyes staring him down, "You can go now."

Helga didn't budge. "To answer your question, it doesn't bother me that I'm a virgin. Frankly, I don't think my sex life is anyone else's business but mine. Even if I do choose to have sex I'm not going to go around announcing it like some of our friends did." She paused, "And to be completely honest, if the reason you want to have sex is because everyone else is doing it you're probably doing it for the wrong reason."

When Arnold didn't answer, Helga continued. "How do you view sex? Do you think of it as more physical or emotional? Like, do you think being in love to do it?" She rolled her eyes, when she noticed the dumbfounded look on Arnold's features. "Don't give me that look. You're the one who brought it up."

"I dunno...I guess I would want to really care about the person and I'd hope she really cared about me."

"So what you're saying is…"

"I'm not really sure." Arnold admitted. "I guess that I think I'd want my first time to be with a really, really good friend." He smiled nervously. "That way there's no regrets. I know it sounds cheesy, but I don't want to regret it. The person, I mean…."

Helga understood the implication and could feel her cheeks turn pink, "I don't think it's cheesy. I think it's really sweet actually."

An awkward silence fell between the two of them.

"Welp, I'm starving. Wanna go to Salausen's? My treat for making things awkward." Arnold nudged her, grinning.

"Your treat, huh? You know that means I'm getting lobster, right?" Helga joked as she and Arnold made their way out of his room. The awkwardness melting away as they left.

Arnold laughed. "First of all, Salausen's doesn't have lobster. Second of all, you're allergic to shellfish."

Helga shrugged, "Totally worth the reaction if you're paying Football Head."

"Whatever you say Helga…"

_A few days later…_

Arnold was in his room just finishing up his chemistry homework when he heard a knock coming from his window ceiling. Only one person came in that way, so he motioned for her to come in without even looking. "Hey! What brings you here?" He asked as Helga hopped down onto his bed.

"Well...I was thinking about our conversation from the other day."

At took a moment for Arnold to realize what she was talking about. His eyes widened, "You were?" He cleared his throat. "What about it?"

"You know how you were talking about how it would be nice if your first time was with a really, really good friends so there would be no regrets?"

Arnold felt his stomach twist and mouth go dry. He couldn't find his voice to speak, so he just nodded.

"Well...I think that would be nice too." She offered him a small smile, brushing some stray hairs behind her ear.

"Wh...what exactly are you saying?"

Her eyes met his. "I think you know _exactly_ what I'm saying." She swallowed nervously, "I brought condoms."

Arnold said nothing, instead he took a few long strides to his bed (to _her_). He bent down and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't Football Head." Her fingers tangled into his unruly blond hair she loved as a child and brought his lips to her. This time the kiss was deeper, much more desperate.

Hesitantly, Arnold touched her breast fondling it softly. He felt his pants tighten as a soft moan escaped her lips. "And what does this mean?" He asked, pulling her shirt over her head.

"We're friends. No regrets, right?"

"No regrets." Arnold agreed. They continued to kiss and slowly undress each other while pretending that part of the reason why they were doing this _wasn't_ because of peer pressure. He quickly discovered there was a certain spot on Helga's neck that drove her wild when he nipped at it.

Arnold stared down at her after he fully undressed her, appreciating the fact Helga was the first naked girl he has seen in real life. "You're beautiful…" She blushed, waving him off. "No...Really, you're beautiful. Don't let anyone ever tell you different."

After a few unsure movements Arnold slipped on the condom. "Tell me if I'm hurting you?"

Helga nodded, "Let's do this." The pair could distantly hear the grandfather clock that sat near the steps that led to Arnold's room strike seven as he entered her for the very first time.

"You okay?" Arnold had his head buried in her shoulder as he pushed fully inside of her. He never knew it would feel so good. He had touched himself before, but it _never_ felt like this. She was so hot and wet and _so_ tight, the feeling was unbelievable. When he felt her nod he thrust his hips forward again. That's when he felt it and he knew there would be no stopping it. "Shit." He ungracefully spasmed and that was it. He was finished.

Both blondes slowly looked at each other before looked up at his alarm clock. It wasn't even seven o' one.

It was seven and forty eight seconds.

Helga cleared her throat, "Well I don't really get what the big hubbub sex is supposed to be all about." She teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

Arnold rolled off her, hiding his face in his hands. "Please kill me."

Helga shrugged, pulling his sheet over her bare body. "It happens...I think."

He pulled the condom off, throwing it in the trash next to his bed. "I'm going to make this up to you. I promise." Arnold pulled down the sheet that covered her body. Despite being utterly humiliated he wiggled his fingers, "These will last longer." After Helga gave him her silent permission pushed his hand between her legs, earning a low moan from Helga...

_Seven years later..._

"What time is it?" A soft, sleep filled, feminine voice awoke him his light sleep. The low roll of distant thunderclaps and the soft rain pinging against his glass roof had kept him from fully falling into his normal deep sleep.

"Mmm…" Instinctively, his arms tightened around her. He didn't want her to leave. He lifted his head, just barely made out the numbers on his alarm clock. "Eleven fifteen." He fitted the back of her head underneath is chin. The scent of her lavender and mint shampoo filling his senses relaxed him more than he cared to admit.

"I should probably go." She made no effort to move.

"You should stay. It's raining. It's late. It's cold." He kissed the top of her head, hoping that would convince her to stay. "It's nice and toasty right here though."

"Fine, but no more spooning." She wiggled out of his arms and Arnold suddenly felt cold. "We don't want to cross that line to couples-ville, do we Shotman?"

_Yes. _

"No. Of course not." Arnold lies, turning in bed so he was his back. They had the same on/off no strings attached policy ever since junior year. Nothing had changed. (Well _one_ thing had changed) "Neither of us want that Pataki." He lies again, hoping by calling her by her last name it would make it all more casual than it really was.

Helga's bare back was facing him. The bottom corner of her pink bow tattoo (much like the one she wore as a child) on the back of her neck was just barely visible under the blonde waves of her hair. If she hadn't recently cut it he probably wouldn't be able to see it at all. He stiffened as he heard her sigh heavily as she turned onto her back.

"I like nights like this." She whispered sleepily in the darkness. Her eyes still closed. Her breathing was so steady Arnold would have guessed she was sleeping if she hadn't just spoke.

_Nights with me? _Arnold wished.

"Nights like what?" He asked, closing his eyes as well.

"The gentle thunder rolls. The soft pitter-patter of the rain...It's just all so perfect, comforting really." She yawned, "It's the best thing to fall asleep to, isn't it?"

Arnold inched closer to her, just close enough where their shoulders grazed. "I don't know...I can think of one or two things that are better."

_Number one, with a bullet and giant exclamation point, falling asleep next to you. _

If she heard him, she didn't say anything. He assumed she was probably already sleeping. It didn't take much for Helga to fall asleep. She was one of those annoying people who could sleep anywhere, no matter how noisy or uncomfortable her surroundings were. Road trips with her in particular were always slightly irritating because if she wasn't kept talking or distracted she'd fall asleep, which made things boring. She was this radiant ball fun and it always felt like something was missing when she wasn't around.

Helga shifted back onto her side and Arnold found her back in his arms, with right arm draped around his chest. This confirmed that she was, in fact, sleeping. Normally after they were through spooning she'd stick to her side of the bed. Until they fell asleep, when they always seemed to find a way back in each other's arms.

Arnold glanced longingly to Helga's sleeping form. Her pretty face illuminated because of the periodical lightning strike. He wished he could tell her how he felt about her. She always made it clear they were friends and only friends. Despite the fact they were pretty much together. They would go out to dinner or watch movies together. He turned down dates because of her. He knew for a fact that people thought they really were dating. They just didn't have that boyfriend/girlfriend label.

Again, he wished he could tell her how he really felt. That he would never dream of committing to someone who wasn't her. That he wanted something more than they had.

He desperately wanted to have those strings.

He closed his eyes, sleep taking hold. If only she wanted the same things...

* * *

Annnnd...I'm back! I've missed writing so damn much and SO much has happened in my life since I have posted anything. It's been a year a half, sorry about that. I changed jobs, got a new dog, and just had some other big life changes, so unfortunately didn't have the time or the motivation to write.

I will be revisiting my old works, but it's going to be a process because I want to do a lot of rewriting. I think (hope) I have improved a lot over the years and just want my earlier works to reflect that. But it's going to be a process, so bare with me. I'm working on the next chapter to The Sister, so watch out for that!

As always, if you enjoyed please take the time to review. This story is going to be quite the roller coaster ride, so buckle up.


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